End construction for mine cars



Nov. 30, 1937. w. v. JOHNSON ET AL' 2,100,602

`END CONSTRUCTION FOR MINE CARS I Filed Sept. l2, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1ORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 END CONSTRUCTION FOR MINE CARS Nov. 30, 1937.

fammi( Nov. 30, 1937. w v. JHNsoN ET AL 2,100,602

END CONSTRUCTION FOR MINE CARS Filed Sept. l2, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Patented Nov. 30,V 1937 2,100,602 Y t END CONSTRUCTION Fon MINE oARs 'iPATENT www Warren V. Johnson and Robert VC. Kepner, Bloomsburg, Pa.,assignors to American Car and Foundry Company, New York, N.V Y.. acorporation of New Jersey Y Application september 12, 1935, serial No.40,223 14 claims. (ci. 10s-364) The present invention deals withimprovements in mine and other rail cars and especially with endconstructions for the low-floor type of mine car.

Previo-us mine cars have been built in which the end was formed of arolled section to which was attached members to form a bumper support,other members to form a portion for attachment of the floor andreenforcing members for attach ment of the draw member. Theseconstructions were generally wasteful of material and relatively weakconsidering the amount of metal that was used in their fabrication.Y Itis an object, thereV fore, of the present invention to form a structurein which the metal is Adistributed to greater advantage than heretofore.j

Another object of the invention is the elimination of the end sill as anelement.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an endconstruction which forms part of the car oor. Y

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an endconstruction capable of carrying the bumper and draft means and which ofitself is strong enough to resist the shocks of service.

These and other objects will be apparent to one skilled in the art aftera study of the following description, together with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view'of the improved end construction;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the end construction of Fig. 1, parts thereofbeing broken away to yshow the method of attachment of certain parts;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational View of the construction shown in Fig. 1,certain portions being broken away t0 more clearly show the attachmentand relation of certain parts;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are views similar respectively to Figs. 1, 2 and 3,but, showing a modication thereof;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a `still further modication with portionsof the bumper block brokenl away to more clearly show the side sillconnections; Fig. 8 is a plan view of the construction of Fig.

7, and

Fig. 9 is a front elevational view of the end construction of Fig. '7.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and first to the modificationshown in Figs. 1 t0 3; it is seen that the end construction is securedto the side sills S and has a portion provided for the Vsupport andattachment of the floor F.

The end member is formed principally of a formed upper plate 2 and alower, preferably at, plate 4. The lower plate extends from side sill toside sill and has its end portions'resting upon and rigidly secured tothe inturned flanges S of v the side sills, thus forming a rigidVconnection ,be-j

tween the sills which will prevent any weavingof the sills relative toeach other. The upper plate isV formed with a horizontal portion 8adapted to be secured Yto the lower plate by means Ill` at points spacedfrom the edge ofthe lower plate,

thus providing alledgef l2 upon andtowhi'ch the 'Y floor is supportedand secured. The plate is ln,- clined upwardly from the lowerlhorizontal pori tion to form a part VIll and is then directedoutwardlyin a/horizontal plane to form a'portion vlli spaced above thelower plate. ln order to brace the inclined floor portion ashort backingangle is arranged in the angle defined by the botf tom plate 4 and theinclined portion i4 of plate 2, said bracing angle extendingtransversely ofY the car and having a leg I8 riveted or otherwisesecured to the bottom plate and a vertical leg 20 abutting, at its upperedge portion,rthe sloped portion I 4 to which it may be'welded ifdesired.

Vertically arranged plates or bracing members 22 are provided to preventspreading of the top and bottom plates and each is formed with a topyedge 24 conforming to the contour of the top plate to which itis weldedas at W. The rear end portion of each bracing plate abuts theY verticalf leg 20 of the backing angle, while the lower edge is provided with atongue or projection 26 adapted to extend through slots in the lowerplate in order to be readily welded thereto as at U. The

front Vlower edge of each plate kis also welded to the lower plate as isclearly shown at W.

The top plate 2 is supported at its end portions by angles having oneleg 28 underlapping and securedV to the plate, while the other leg 30lis se-V cured tothe side sillfweb, thus giving an addi-A Y tionalsidesill connection. 'Iheside sills, bracing plates, top and bottomplates, and backing angle `form three pockets into which suitably shapedwood members 32 maybe inserted and securedin suitably bent asshown'toconform in general to 45 place by through bolts 34. The woodblocks exthe contour of the top plate to which it is secured. Thecoupler tongue is also formed with a horizontal portion 36, having anope-ning to receive the coupler pin P and this portion is joined to theremainder of the strap by an inclined portion 38 suitably supported byfiller 4@ welded to the tongue and top plate. The usual belt or binder42 may be provided and is shown as carried by through bolts 44 althoughthis belt may be connected to the bottom plate as is shown in Figs. 4 to6 and now to be described.

The modication shown in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive is in many respectssimilar to the form just described in connection with Figs. l to 3inclusive and the same reference numerals have therefore been usedwherever possible to indicate like parts. In this modification the topplate has been changed in order to eliminate the backing angle as aseparate element by extending the horizontal portion 8 and connectingthis to the sloping part I4 by a vertical portion 2l which correspondsin function with the vertical portions of the brace members shown inFigs. 1 to 3 inclusive and Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive; the construction ofFigs. 'l to 9 inclusive being hereinafter particularly described. Aswill be obvious, in the construction of Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive, thebrace 2| is interposed between the lower plate 4 and the inclinedportion I4 of the upper plate 2. The pressing of the top plate in theform shown forms, of course, a pocket but, in practice, this llsup withfine coal which becomes packed and forms a continuation of the slope.'Ihe belt or binder 42 is connected to the bottom plate by means ofshort rivets or other means 45.

The modilication shown in Figs. 7 to 9 linclusive is a much simpler andmore economical constructional than those previously described in thatthe number of parts has been materially reduced. The bottom plate 52extends in a single plane from a point adjacent the end of floor plate Fto or slightly beyond the ends of the side sills to form a lower supportfor the bumper block 54. The belt or binder 5% is attached to the bottomplate and to the side sills by rivets 51, thus aiding in the support ofthe bottom plate whose edge portions are securely fastened to the sidesill flanges 58 as clearly shown.

The topI plate is formed of a single piece of Vmetal pressed orotherwise formed to the desired shape and is provided with a rearhorizontal portion 60 through which securing means 62 pass in order totie the bottom plate, top plate and floor plate together. Incline 64extends upwardly from the rear portion of the plate and thenhorizontally outward as at 66 over a majority of its area to provide anupper protecting portion for the bumper block. Pressed in the upperhorizontal portion is a coupler pocket formed with inclined back wallB8, side Walls 'l0 and top wall 12 which is parallel to the portion 66.The top wall has weldedthereto a at plate 14 in order to providesuiicient bearing metal for the coupler pin P. The side walls are cutback as at 'i6 in order lto permit application and movement of thebumper cap B, which is of usual design. A short pressed channel having ahorizontal flange 18, web 8D and inclined flange 82 securely ties thetop and bottom plates together and forms a backing for the wood bumperblock previously mentioned. It is necessary that this channel be shortenough to allow insertion of a backing tool between its end and the sidesill in order that the rivets connecting the end construction to theside sill may be driven. The

edges of the top plate are bent downwardly as at 84 to receive securingmeans 86 which fasten the plate to the side sill. It is seen that withthis construction an end member is fabricated of four pieces which areeasily formed, require a minimum of labor and produce a structure ofgreat strength.

rIt is obvious to one skilled in the art that various modications of theend construction are possible and that such modications may be madewithout departing from the scope of the appended claims which, ratherthan the illustrative description, limit the invention.

What is claimed is:

1.An end construction for low-floor mine or similar cars having sidesills and comprising, a substantially horizontal lower plate secured tothe side sills and floor, an upper plate secured to said lower plate andside sills, said upper plate being formed with an upwardly inclinedportion, transverse bracing means interposed between said bottom plateand inclined portion of the upper plate, and longitudinally arrangedbracing means connecting said upper and lower plates and spaced relativeto the side sills, said bracing means forming with said plates and sidesills pockets for the reception of bumper means.

2. An end construction for low-floor mine or similar cars having sidesills and comprising, a

substantially horizontal lower plate secured to the side sills andfloor, an upper plate secured to said lower plate and side sills, said`upper plate being formed with an upwardly inclined portion, bracingmeans connecting said top and bottom plates to form with said side sillspockets for the reception of bumper means, said bracing means beingprovided with projecting lugs adapted to be interlocked with one of saidplates.

3. An end construction for low-floor mine or similar cars having sidesills and comprising, a substantially horizontal lower plate secured tothe side sills and floor, an upper plate having a horizontal portionsecured to said lower plate and an inclined portion joined to saidhorizontal portion by a vertically extending portion, and bracing meansconnecting said upper and lower plates, said bracing means being spacedfrom the side sills and forming with said top and bottom plates pocketsfor the reception of bumper means.

4. An end construction for low-floor mine or similar cars having sidesills and comprising, a substantially horizontal lower platesecured tothe side sills and loor, an upper plate secured to said lower plate andside sills, said upper plate u being formed of a single pressing havingspaced i apart substantially horizontal portions joined together by aninclined portion, at least one of said portions having pressed therein acoupler attachment element and bracing means connect- I ing said top andbottom plates to form a backing means for a bumper block.

5. As an article of manufacture a formed plate for use in car endconstructions comprising,

spaced apart substantially parallel portions, an

inclined portion joining said rst named portions and coupler attachmentmeans pressed upwardly from at least one of said portions.

6. As an article of manufacture a formed plate for use in car endconstructions comprising, spaced apart substantially parallel portions,an inclined portion joining said rst named portions and couplerattachment means pressed upwardly from at least one of said portions,said inclined portion and at least one of the parallel portions havinglaterally extending attaching portions at each edge.

'7. An end construction for low-oor mine or similar cars having sidesills and comprising, a substantially horizontal lower plate secured tothe side sills and floor, an upper plate secured to said lowerplate andside sills, said upper plate being formed with an upwardly inclinedportion, bracing means connecting said top and bottom plates to formwith said side sills a plurality of longitudinally extending open endedpockets for the reception of bumper means, said bracing means beingprovided Y with projecting lugs adapted to be interlocked with one ofsaid plates.

8. An end construction for low-floor mine or similar cars having sidesills and comprising, a substantially horizontal lower plate secured tothe side sills and floor, an upper plate secured to said lower plate andside sills, said upper plate being formed of a single pressing havingspaced apart substantially horizontal portions joined together by aninclined portion, and at least one of said portions having pressedtherein a coupler receiving pocket.

9. As an article of manufacture a formed plate for use in car endconstructions comprising, spaced apart substantially parallel portions,an inclined portion joining said first named portions and couplerattachment means pressed upwardly from at least one of said portions,said inclined portion having downwardly directed attaching portions atthe edges thereof.

10. As an article of manufacture a formed plate for use in car endconstructions comprising, spaced apart substantially parallel portions,an inclined portion joining said rst named portions and couplerattachment means pressed upwardly from at least one of said portions, atleast one of said parallel portions having the opposite edges thereofdirected downwardly.

1l. An end construction for mine or similar cars having side sills and afloor, comprising a substantially horizontally arranged lower platesecured to the side sills and iloor, an upper plate extending betweenand connected to the side sills, said upper and lower plates extendingoutwardly of the car beyond the ends of the side sills and said upperplate being formed with a portion inclined upwardly toward the end ofthe car, a bumper block supported on thelower plate, and bracing meansarranged transverse to the longitudinal axis of the car and extendingsubstantially continuously for at least the full width of the bumperblock, said bracing means being arranged between the lower plate andsaid inclined portion of the upper plate and constituting a backingmember for said bumper block.

12. An end construction for mine or similar cars having side sills and afloor, comprising a` Vsubstantially horizontally arranged lower platesecured to the side sills and oor, an upper plate extending between andconnected to the side sills, said upper and lower plates extendingoutwardly beyond the ends of the side sills and said upper plate beingformed witha portion inclined upwardly toward the 'end of the car, abumper block supported on the lower plate, and. bracing means extendingtransversely of the car with its.

end portionsadjacent the side sills,`said bracing A v means beingarranged between the lower plate and theinclined portion of the upperplate and constituting a substantially continuous backing member for thebumper block.

13. An end construction for mine or similar cars having side sills and aoor, comprising a substantially horizontally arranged lower platesecuredto the side sills and floor, an upper plate extending between andconnected to the side sills, said upperand lower plates extendingoutwardly beyond the ends of the side sills and -said upper plate beingformed with a portion inclined upwardly toward the end of the car, abumper block supported on the lower plate, bracing means extendingtransversely of the ear with its end portions adjacent the side sills,said bracing means being arranged between the lower plate and theinclined portion of the upper plate and constituting a substantiallycontinuous backing member for the bumper block, and a bumper platehaving flanges lapping the upper and lower plates. Y

14. An end construction for mine or similar rail cars having side sillsand a oor, comprising a substantially horizontally arranged lower Vplate secured to the side sills and floor, an upper Vplate extendingbetween and connected to the side sills, said upper and lower platesvextending outwardly beyond the ends of the side sills Yand said upperplate being formed with a portion inclined upwardly toward the end ofthe car, a

bumper block supported on the lower plate,

`the bumper block, the end portions of the top .and bottom platesserving as bearing portions for the langesof said bumper plate.

WARREN v. JOHNSON. ROBERT o. KEPNER.

